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January  2014

 

Greetings! Is your firm offering a wellness  program? ....Contact us for more information on how your healthcare dollars can be more wisely spent Willwerth,Caven & Associates 

Study Raises Questions for Employer Wellness Programs

 

If you work for a big employer - or even a small one - you probably have encountered some sort of workplace wellness program. You most likely filled out a health questionnaire, which may have led to a recommendation that you attend exercise classes, quit smoking or participate in telephone coaching to help you control diabetes or asthma.

 

But a study by RAND researchers and executives of PepsiCo, published online Monday in the journal Health Affairs, found that programs aimed at helping people with chronic illnesses stay healthy, by educating them and reminding them to take medication, resulted in significant cost savings. But so-called lifestyle management offerings, which aim to reduce health risks through programs focusing on weight loss or stress management, resulted in no net savings at all.   Read More


Top 10 medical services not covered by health insurance

 

There are a number of medical costs not covered by health insurance - and they come with major costs for consumers.

That's according to HealthPocket, who analyzed 11,365 health plans to reveal the most common services not covered by insurance.

Though a couple on the list are expected to improve under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, that greater access will affect kids and not adults, researchers note.

To combat this exclusion, experts suggest paying close attention when selecting health plans, buying supplemental coverage - or save to pay up. 

Click on to find out which common services insurers are not willing to pay for Read More


Health care spending growth stalls

 

Health care spending in the United States grew 3.7 percent in 2012 to $2.8 trillion, marking the fourth straight year of slowing growth.

That analysis comes from a new report released Monday by the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Though the White House said Monday the trend is thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, economists countered that the law only had a "minimal impact" on the slowdown and attributed the trend mainly to the recession. 

Read More

 

 

 

 

Denise M. Caven  
Willwerth, Caven & Associates, Inc.
Employee Benefit Solutions